


The Fairy's Tale

by Serpent_Tailed_Angel



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Awkward Bromance, Betrayal, Child Abandonment, Death, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Friendship, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Murder, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Romance, Sexual Content, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-04
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2017-12-10 10:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/784968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpent_Tailed_Angel/pseuds/Serpent_Tailed_Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of Fairy Tail drabbles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whatever May Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Sting and Rogue  
> Setting: Post-Eclipse incident

Although kind gestures weren't his forte, being the emotive one was his job. With that in mind, Sting held onto Rogue, whispering and nodding as his friend trembled and stuttered.

"I know you wouldn't. It's alright. Don't worry, I'm not upset."

Silently, Sting thanked his lucky stars that Rogue was too out of sorts to tell he was lying, because yes, he was upset. A future where he died at his friend's hands? Of course he was upset. But that future had yet to come, and might not. Until then, he was willing to use his own hands to comfort.


	2. Scarlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza  
> Setting: Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. His disguise could be seen through, he could be taken away, face execution, and drag a guild full a kindhearted people down with him, but he was risking something even greater: Erza's judgment.

The look on her face as she saw him, bundled in enough fabric to make him appreciate Gray, was killing him. Was she shocked? Disgusted? She didn't look happy, as far as he could tell.

"It can't be… Jellal?"

How did she feel? He couldn't say, so he gave the only neutral response he could think of.

"Shh."


	3. Azule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza  
> Setting: Day 1 of the Grand Magic Games

And here she'd thought she had nothing to worry about but winning.

Yet who else could that be, stepping into the arena in Mystogan's heavy clothes? Now she had to win without looking like a unattractive monster in front of Jellal.

Maybe it wasn't really him! Could Mystogan have come back? Even if it was Jellal's face, someone so impassive would alleviate any worries she had of being judged. It couldn't be him, right. Right?

"It can't be… Jellal?"

He lifted a finger to lips she almost knew and said nothing more than "Shh."

Oh dear God. She was doomed.


	4. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Zeref  
> Setting: Tenroujima, prior to Grimiore Heart's attack

Natsu stood in the dead grass, eyebrow twitching as he tried to place the cause of the pang in his chest, the pain blossoming in the back of his head, all the odd sensations that spread throughout his body as he looked at that man. He wanted it to stop.

"You've really grown… Natsu."

That man… that man who had nearly killed his friends, who was causing him to feel so strange. This was his chance to become S-class and it was going wrong, and everything that was wrong with it was that man's fault.

"Who the hell are you?"


	5. Groceries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal  
> Setting: Some time between the Tenroujima incident and the Grand Magic Games.

There are many tasks in the world too dangerous for the average man to comprehend-when your face is plastered on a 'dead or alive' poster in every guild in the country.

Jellal didn't get it. How come he, the most distinctive looking of their group, was the one who'd been tasked with sneaking into town to buy groceries? Didn't those two realize they were making him risk his life just to buy a few vegetables?

"That will be 6000 Jewels, sir."

"Right." Just pay and get out. He reached into his pocket and…

"Ah…"

"Sir?"

"Sorry… I forgot my wallet."


	6. Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Rogue and Frosch  
> Setting: Night 2 of the Grand Magic Games

"Rogue…?"

He scooted over and patted the open section of mattress by his side.

Even with the invite, Frosch felt she ought to justify herself. Maybe it would keep Lector from calling her childish in the morning. "Fro couldn't sleep. If Fro had to disappear too… it's scary. And Rogue said…"

"Nothing will happen to you while I'm here," Rogue assured her. "Come up."

She climbed onto the bed with Rogue, settling into a nook between his arm and torso. "Fro doesn't want to disappear."

"You won't. Come in here as many nights as you want. I'll keep you safe."


	7. Bacon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Lucy  
> Setting: Lucy's house.

It wasn't the smell of bacon burning that made Lucy jump out of bed, it was the fact that she was in bed when she smelled bacon burning.

"Don't burn my house down this early in the morning!"

One kick to the chest later, Natsu sat on her floor, rubbing the bruise mark that was forming and looking up at Lucy with his most innocent of expressions. "I was only trying to make you breakfast."

When Lucy locked her front door behind them, Natsu sulked off towards the guild, forming plans to burn her house down while making lunch instead.


	8. Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Lucy, Gray, and Juvia  
> Setting: Lucy's bathroom

She'd found Cana and Loke in her tub before, but Gray was a first.

At least he still has underwear on…

"What are you doing?"

Gray put a finger to his lips, "Juvia's after me."

Lucy rolled her eyes and pulled the curtain over him. "Fine. Stay in there. I'll just shower at your house."

Gray mumbled the location of his spare keys and slumped back as he heard Lucy slam the front door Juvia, who had snuck into the showerhead to make sure her love rival did nothing to Gray-sama, congratulated herself on learning the way into Gray's place.


	9. Last Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza  
> Setting: Doesn't matter

"I think I made a mistake. It suits you too well. Maybe to the point of being cliché."

Erza laughed. "Sorry. What are we talking about now?"

"Your last name," Jellal told her. "Scarlet. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to call you that."

Erza felt like she'd been struck with a sack of bricks, for she'd thought of her last name as a point of pride, as a reminder of Jellal's sweeter self, and for assurance of the beauty she was sure he'd seen in her. "What would you change it to?"

"How about Fernandez?"


	10. White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Sting and Rogue  
> Setting: Sting's kitchen table

"It's not going to kill you."

"We don't know that."

"Prove me wrong."

Sting looked aghast. "You want me to kill myself? That's dark."

Rogue rolled his eyes and snatched the spoon from Sting's hand, jabbing it into the black bean soup and holding up a mouthful for the blond to eat. "Open wide."

"If Natsu once got sick eating lightning, then as the white dragon—" Rogue shoved the spoon into Sting's mouth while the idiot tried to rattle off his excuse.

Sting flinched, grimaced, pulled the spoon out, and swallowed. Then he told Rogue honestly, "It just tastes gross."


	11. Hatchling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Igneel  
> Setting: The woods, some number of years ago

Humans were small, but this one was too tiny. Igneel prodded it with his nose, sniffing the thing to confirm that he'd stumbled upon a hatchling.

Where was the hatchling's mother? That creature could barely use its legs. Surely humans didn't send their young out that early. He sat guard until the sun had passed most way through the sky, but no other humans came, and the hatchling was shrieking.

Human or not, he couldn't leave a hatchling on its own. Lifting it by the awful smelling white band above its legs, Igneel carried the creature back to his den.


	12. Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal, Erza, and Merudy  
> Setting: The giants' village, at a point in time that cannot actually exist in the manga.

Jellal blushed and looked away, not sure what he could say that wouldn't make the situation worse.

The little girl gazed up at him, eyes wide with hope and fear. "I love you," she said. Jellal hadn't the slightest idea what to say to that. Children said such things all the time, but this one was different. This little girl knew what it meant.

What should he say? That he loved a child? They'd add pedophilia to his list of crimes.

"We're only babysitting you," Merudy told Erza. "No lovey-dovey stuff until you get back to normal, you got it?"


	13. In One Year's Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Sting, Rogue, and Frosch  
> Setting: Post battle, one year after the Eclipse incident

Rogue crawled across the dirt, ignoring blood loss and broken bones. He had to get to her. He promised nothing bad would happen. Not if he was there. She’d be okay, if he could only get to her.

He coughed. Blood came out. He didn’t care. He dragged himself the last few feet and reached out, feeling a cold, stiff paw under the torn pink suit.

“Shit,” Sting muttered. He still had the strength to stand. If he’d tried, he might have been able to save her. “Shit, Rogue. I’m sorry. Frosch… shit.”

“You could have saved her,” Rogue murmured.


	14. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Bisca and Alzack  
> Setting: Fairy Tail guild hall

Bisca tightened her grip with each hand, one clutching a ring box, the other test results.

"Alzack," she called out. Every head in the guild, the few who hadn't quit, looked at her.

"Any news of them?" Alzack asked, and hope showed in everyone's eyes.

"I... no. This is something separate." She ignored the dejected faces as she strode up to her boyfriend. She'd give them a reason to be happy.

"You're going to be a father." She showed him the test, then held up the ring box. "Would you like to be a husband too?"


	15. Hammock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Lucy  
> Setting: Lucy's room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk just felt like cranking something out real fast. Haven't posted one of these in a while now.

Lucy woke with the horrible knowledge that she was not the only person in her bed.  
  
"Natsu." She swatted the other figure without checking to see who it was.  
  
Natsu squirmed, kicked, and threw the covers off both of them when he sat to catch her arm before she could swat again. "What was that for?"  
  
"Go back to your own house. What's wrong with your bed?"  
  
"The hammock?"  
  
"Whatever you sleep in."  
  
"The hammock." Natsu shrugged. "I guess it's comfortable, but when it rocks I feel sick."  
  
And then he lay back down in Lucy's bed, leaving her speechless.


	16. Iodine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Lucy  
> Setting: Some recent battlefield or another

"Hold still."

"Stop squeezing it so tight."

Growling in frustration, Lucy grabbed Natsu and pulled him back onto the stool before her. "I wouldn't have to squeeze if you could just let me put iodine on it. It's going to get infected."

Natsu thrashed when she applied the iodine, and she yanked him towards her again.

"Natsu, please. I'm trying to _help_ you," she insisted. "Let me, alright? As a thank you. And an apology."

Thank you for saving me. I'm so sorry your arm was torn by my carelessness.

Seeing her wide, pleading eyes, Natsu sighed and held his arm still.


	17. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Cana and Bacchus  
> Setting: Some park somewhere idk

Bacchus woke with a killer headache to the sound of muffled laughter. He needed no deducing to know he’d been out drinking the night before, that was how he spent every night, and sometimes he wound up with a hangover. But why was their laughter.

Forcing his eyes open, he looked around and found that he was naked on a park bench. Those passing by might pretend not to notice, but most openly stared.

“Wh-what?”

“Payback.”

He flinched at the loud voice, and turned around to see Cana.

“Payback?”

“For leaving _me_ naked and drunk of my ass at a bar yesterday.”


	18. Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Sting and Rogue  
> Setting: idk Saber Tooth guildhall after hours

"Don't listen to it."

"It won't stop."

"Don't listen to it!" Sting smacked Rogue, startling attention out of the boy. "Block it out. Don't let it get to you."

Rogue bowed his head and let himself fall against Sting's shoulder. He wished that Sting wore looser clothes, because he would have liked something to clutch. To cling to like holding onto his partner would somehow help him keep hold of his sanity.

Since Rogue said no more in protest, Sting wrapped his arms around his partner. As if that would be enough to keep the shadows from snatching him away.


	19. Rainfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Juvia. Sort of Gray.  
> Setting: Town of Rainfall, shortly after Gray's disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I don't like Gruvia much. But I had this idea, so why not?

Naturally, she'd noticed his absence, but it always felt like she'd been without him for years, even when he only left for a minute. It wasn't until Juvia stepped out to weed, and saw nothing obscuring the garden, that she realized how long it had been.

There were no pants or coats or shirts or, her favorite, boxers anywhere in the yard. Gray always shedded his clothes everywhere. How long had it been since she gathered his things to wash?

Panic welled up as she counted the day, and she fled inside to escape when she felt the downpour begin.


	20. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Doranbalt  
> Setting: Graveyard, middle of one year time-skip

He still couldn't remember a single bit of it.

Doranbalt sat and shook his head, rubbing at his shoulder, where the guild mark had been. He'd rubbed it off as soon as the guild was declared disbanded. Whatever loyalty Makarov expected of him, he couldn't remember how to feel it. It felt unnatural. After everything he _could_ remember of Fairy Tail, he wasn't one of them. He hadn't earned that. Whatever Makarov said. If Makarov had even told the truth.

"What do you think, Lahar? You always seemed certain of what to do."

But of course, Lahar's gravestone couldn't answer.


	21. So Much Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Sting. Kind of Weisslogia?  
> Setting: Sting's house, middle of the night.

Sting woke with a start, hand flying over his mouth to keep from screaming Weisslogia's name. Lector would be angry if Sting woke him up _again_.

Shaken, he snuck out of bed and went to the bathroom, splashing himself with water to help wake fully from the memory. the dream. It was only a bad dream.

Without realizing it, he found himself scrubbing his hands. Going at them until they bled, which was a relief. It meant he could see blood wash off them.

How frustrating. He hadn't killed Weisslogia after all. Why did he still feel like a murderer?


	22. Dragneel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Zeref and Natsu (and parents kinda)  
> Setting: 400 years in the past

He thought it was the most pivotal day of his life, and he was right. Not because he knew from the second his father led him up the steps of the academy that it was what he wanted. That he had to go there, to prove that he was worthy and ready _right then_.

It was because when he came home to tell his mother that he knew what he was going to do with himself, she didn't listen. Didn't look excited. Instead, she pulled his father aside, whispered to him, and then the told Zeref.

"Your brother is gone."


	23. Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Zeref and Mavis  
> Setting: The woods, prior to Fairy Tail's founding

She was sweet. Innocent. Bold. And intelligent on top of all that. The academic in him liked intelligent.

Despite that, she was a part of the world that rejected him. Even if he wanted her, wanted to hold her close and breath in her scent, he couldn't. He cared for her too deeply to risk it.

And yet, here she was, willing to do whatever it took. And there was something that might satisfy her while letting her be near.

"If you want to learn black magic," Zeref said, "I know a certain spell."

Mavis's eyes lit up. "Tell me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't really buy it, but saw a theory that Zeref deliberately tricked Mavis into becoming like him. The impression I got was more that things only went awry because she used the spell before mastering it, and he didn't expect her to do that, but at the same time I liked how dark the implications of that theory were.


	24. Important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu, Gray, and Lucy  
> Setting: Natsu's house

By the time anyone realized Natsu had a fever, he was so sick that he couldn't stand, and his team took turns looking after him. Busy, looking for a key Lucy wanted, he'd refrained from mentioning he felt off. If only she would come so he could tell her it was in his drawer. He had to tell her. It was important to her.

It was Gray's turn to look after him, but Natsu, with his fever addled brain, tried to convey this anyway.

"I need to tell Lucy she's important."

Gray suppressed a smile. "I'll pass the message on."


	25. Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Zeref  
> Setting: Zeref's bedroom, Alvarez Empire

Zeref held the book against his chest, hidden away in his private chambers where none of the Spriggan Twelve dared bother him.

Losing Natsu as a child had been heart wrenching, and all those years of work trying to get his brother back were practically wasted effort. Sure, Natsu had the chance to live, and sure, as END, Natsu had the power to kill him, but between his curse and Natsu's hatred, Zeref's original dream was forever out of reach. Four hundred years he'd wanted his little brother back, and this was as close as he knew he'd ever come.


	26. Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Zeref, Mavis  
> Setting: Fairy Tail guild, mid Alvarez arc

The dress was only an illusion. To save her some dignity, Zeref refrained from mentioning that he saw right through such spells, and focused on her face. She was his enemy and a weapon, but she was still someone truly worthy of respect.

She was also a traitor.

She promised. Promised him that they would search for a way to break the curse together. Promised him that he would be alone no longer. Promised. Fanned the flames of hope he'd long thought burned out. And then she died. Or at least pretended to.

"What business do you have being alive?"


	27. Twins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Gajeel, implied Levy  
> Setting: n/a

There were always twins in the future Gajeel imagined for himself and Levy. A darling daughter and a rambunctious little boy. In his dreams, they were perfect children. Sweet and strong and way cooler than Salamander's kids.

He nailed it with the twins part, but he should have known that nothing he sired could be described as 'perfect'. Not unless you wanted to follow that 'perfect' with 'disaster'.

He did his best to maintain a smile as Asuka and Romeo explained the time travel hijinks that transpired in his absence. Someone was about to get the spanking of a lifetime.


	28. Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza  
> Setting: Erza's bedroom

Jellal ran a hand over Erza's bare back, finger tracing a line down her spine as she gripped the hair behind his head and pulled herself in closer.

"Are you sure you're fiancée won't mind?" Erza whispered, and Jellal was too caught up in the deep, husky tone she spoke in to care that he was being teased.

"I'm sure that by the time we're gone, I'll have forgotten all about her," he said, and then pressed his against her lips, searching for her tongue with his.

This was probably a sin, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care.


	29. Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Mirajane and Fried  
> Setting: Fairy Tail guildhall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to a tumblr prompt

Mira found him digging through guild records long after the storm warning sent everyone else home, numb fingers struggling to turn a page in the book he studied. Fried offered no resistance when she helped him up and took him to the master’s office.

“It’s only us left,” she said as she lit the fireplace.

“How late is it?”

“Late. But you’re not heading home in this blizzard.”

A blanket that fell over him blocked the view of the snow rattled window, and Mira joined him beneath it with two mugs of hot chocolate.

“Let’s keep each other warm, okay?”


	30. Sleepy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character: Laxus and Fried  
> Setting: Hotel room while on a mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to a prompt on tumblr

Laxus set Fried in bed and brushed his hair from his face. Fried had such a lovely face, and it would be a shame to hide it. He went to pull the covers up as well, but the motion caused Fried to stir.

“Mm… Laxus?”

“Take it easy. You did good today.”

“Can you lie with me?”

Laxus hesitated, looking to the door. It was late, and they’d all worked themselves to the bone, but his part of the job wasn’t done yet.

“Please?”

Fried could make the sweetest pleading expression with that lovely face, and Laxus couldn’t say no.


	31. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Zeref and Mavis  
> Setting: The Golden Plains, post-war

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to a prompt on tumblr

Zeref stared out at the gentle wind moving across the golden plains, unsure what to make of it. Gorgeous though it was, he was all too familiar with such vast emptiness.

He took one step forward then, feeling as if there was nothing to find moving forward, turned around.

And saw her standing before him.

“Come on,” Mavis said. “Let’s go look for fairies.”

It took him a second to convince himself he heard her right. “Together?”

“It would be lonely on my own.”

“But the war… aren’t you mad?”

“It’s okay.” She took his hand. “It’s behind us now.”


	32. Let's Start Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Gajeel and Levy  
> Setting: Guildhall, post war

Levy shifted closer to Gajeel on the bench. “A family, huh?”

For a moment, Gajeel wished he _had_ died in the war with Alvarez. He never would have said such cheesy, embarrassing things to her if he knew he’d have more time to say them. More time to put it off while he found some way to make his feeling for her clear without crying like a baby and blurting it out.

“Y-yeah. What about it?”

Levy leaned in. “We never know when it will be too late. Nearly losing you taught me that. So when should we get started?”


	33. Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Invel and Zeref  
> Setting: Alvarez castle

The pendant was old and worn, with a haphazard polishing job and a bit of rust on the inside of the hinge. The Emperor had likely worn it for centuries, and Invel didn't doubt that it was precious to him. Or rather, that the tiny photo place inside it, of him and his younger brother, was the dearest treasure The Emperor had.

But The Emperor was the dearest treasure Invel had, for as dear as things could be to him.

That dear little brother who The Emperor loved so much was meant to kill Invel's treasure.

He had to die


	34. All Things Pass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character: Loke, OC  
> Setting: Graveyard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're welcome.

"This is the place?" The Celestial Wizard asked.

Loke grunted an affirmative, glancing away for a second to look at his master, before fixing his eyes back on the grave marker.

Lucy Heartfilia. Dead at eighty-two. For her, there had been plenty time to see him, but to Loke, she came into his life and then was gone in less than a year. Not enough time. There was never enough time, but usually, it didn't hurt so much to have a master pass away.

"What was she like?" Layla Dragneel asked. She'd never met her great-grandmother.

"Nothing short of incredible."


	35. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza

"What do you plan to do with your freedom?" She grimaced at the words. That wasn't nearly as casual as she'd hoped.

"I don't know. It doesn't feel real."

It might never feel real to him, she thought. So long as he was still a prisoner of his own guilt, he would never feel free. He'd operated outside the law before, so that the law had exonerated him meant nothing under the weight of those sins felt in his heart.

"I'd like to… figure it out," he said. "But once I do…"

"See me?"

He smiled for her. "Of course."


	36. One Hundred Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Macbeth. (Implied Jellal/Erza)  
> Setting: Magnolia

Macbeth found Jellal lying on a bench near the guildhall.

"Weren't you going to go see her?"

"She's gone."

It took a moment for Macbeth realize Erza had only left on a mission, rather than died. Jellal sounded so dejected. "What kind of job?"

"A hundred year mission. They wouldn't say where to."

Macbeth presumed the decent thing was to pat Jellal's shoulder. "That's a long time. Can you write?"

"It's only supposed to take a month."

"O-of course." Macbeth withdrew his hand, but not before Jellal smirked.

"You thought it would take her a hundred years?"

"Of course _not_."


	37. Serpentine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Kinana, Erik  
> Setting: Bedroom

Erik looked around the room, trying to hold in a groan.

She must have seen his unease, because Kinana pushed herself up in bed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just… don't wrap yourself around me like that."

"Oh? But you used to love it when I did this."

She had been a _snake_ back then, but Erik didn't dare mention that. After his guild found out his girlfriend used to be his snake…

"It's too warm tonight."

"I'm still a little cold blooded," she said, cruelly wrapping him in her arms again. "Besides, don't pretend I don't see you smiling."


	38. Last To Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Natsu and Lucy  
> Setting: Fairy Tail

Lucy clutched the test behind her back, running through all the ways she could break the news as she crept up on Natsu. Telling him at the guild was probably a mistake—he'd react so loudly that everyone would learn. But she couldn't bear to keep the secret to herself any longer.

She tapped his shoulder, pulling his attention from a brewing fight between Gray and Elfman, and held the test with its pink stripe up for him.

"Natsu," she whispered, "I'm pregnant."

She hadn't expect him to bite back a chuckle before whispering, "Took ya long enough to notice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably go and re-read these, because I feel like I have another that's similar to this one? Some of these drabbles are pretty old, so I don't remember them all.


	39. Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Jellal and Erza

Erza traced her fingers along Jellal's cheek. She'd been able to recreate since she was nine, and through all the years she wished she could forget him completely. But she loved to remind herself of them over and over. Relished in knowing that his face was readily available for her to reference at last. Yet they still held mystery for her.

"Jellal?" she asked. He had fallen asleep in her lap after dinner, and his eyes fluttered open for her. "How did you get these tattoos?"

He regarded her a moment then said, "There are things I still don't remember."


	40. Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Lucy and Erza  
> Setting: Lucy's bedroom

The bed was too warm. Lucy flung her hand out without opening her eyes, expecting to punish Natsu. Instead, she heard a groan from Erza.

She kept her eyes closed, knowing she was dead. There wouldn't be enough left of her body for anyone to identify the remains.

But Erza never woke to claim retribution. She laughed and mumbled into Lucy's pillow, "Oh, Jellal. So you like to play naughty?"

Lucy's eyes snapped open and she sprung from bed. She had no idea how Erza ended up with her, but she had no desire to be party to that fantasy.


End file.
